President Maithripala Sirisena is in Thailand making a three-day official visit and attending the second Asia Cooperation Dialogue Summit. The Dialogue Summit that brings together 34 nations in the Asian region takes place from October 8 -10 in Bangkok under the theme "One Asia, Diverse Strength".

Official level discussions have commenced between Sri Lanka and Iran on reviving trade agreements that were signed between the two countries and will be put into operation soon after ironing out technicalities, Minister of Industry and Commerce, Rishad Bathiudeen said.

Pakistan on Friday (September 30) officially postponed the 19th SAARC Summit scheduled to be held in Islamabad on November 9 and 10. A new set of dates for holding the Summit will be announced soon through the Chair of SAARC (Nepal), reports said.

Due to the prevailing drought, water levels of the main reservoirs have dropped to half its capacity, with authorities warning that drastic measures may need to be taken if water is to be continuously released from the reservoirs for power generation.

To avert a possible dengue outbreak in the next three months, when the number of mosquito breeding sites are likely to surge with the monsoon rains, the Dengue Control Unit of the Health Ministry will launch an island-wide Dengue Control Week starting on Tuesday, September 27 to Monday, October 3.

Sir Richard Jolly, former Deputy Executive Director, UNICEF, and Special Adviser to the Administrator, United Nations Development Programme (1996 to 2000), and Principal Coordinator of the widely-acclaimed Human Development Report will deliver a lecture on, “Development: Can Sri Lanka be a model for implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SGDs)?” on September 28 at 5 pm at the BMICH Committee Room D, on the invitation of the Gamani Corea Foundation.

Richmondite Charith Asalanka joined the elite band of school cricketers by winning the coveted Schoolboy Cricketer Of The Year 2016 title for the second year in succession emulating the feats of former Sri Lankan greats Arjuna Ranatunga, 1980/82' ( Ananda) Roshan Mahanama, 1983/84'(Nalanda) Thilan Samaraweera 1994/95' ( Ananda) 'Lahiru Peiris 2004/2005 (St.Peter's) and Bhanuka Rajapaksa 2010'2011 (Royal) who had also won the award twice .

Cricketing legend and former Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene will grace the occasion at the 38th Observer-Mobitel Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year awards night scheduled to take place at the Galadari Hotel on September 20.

Stern action will be taken against traders who sell sugar above the controlled price of Rs. 95. Instructions have been given to the relevant authorities to launch island-wide search operations, a press communique from the Minister of Finance Ravi Karunanayake said.

Refuting speculations, Power and Renewable Energy Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya said, no decision has been taken to impose power cuts on account of the current dry spell in the country.

President Mahinda
Rajapaksa on an official visit to the
Vatican last week held an audience with
Pope Francis at the Apostolic Palace.
First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa is also
in the picture. Pope Francis is due to
visit Sri Lanka from January 13-15, 2015
for the canonisation of Blessed Joseph
Vaz, the “Apostle of Sri Lanka”. The
Holy Father is also due to meet
religious leaders and visit the Madhu
Shrine in Mannar. Pic by Sudath Silva.

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‘Govt can go before the masses with confidence’:

Sri Lanka made vast strides under UPFA

Higher Education Minister S.B. Dissanayake said
that Sri Lanka which was designated as a developing country is
rapidly moving towards the level of a developed country after about
hundred years and this achievement should be attributed to President
Mahinda Rajapaksa and the UPFA Government.

Quran helps Muslims to live in harmony – President

The teachings of the Holy Quran have helped the
Muslims of Sri Lanka to live in harmony with other communities in
our country through many centuries as they continue to do so today.
This spirit of harmony nurtured by their religious teaching has
enabled them to make a significant contribution to the progress of
our country,

Dinesh to address water problems in North

Water Supply and Drainage Minister Dinesh
Gunawardena on an inspection tour of Kilinochchi on Friday to
address the acute water problem of farmers told the Sunday Observer
that he met a cross section of people and they expressed their
gratitude to President Mahinda Rajapaksa for launching development
programs in the North.

Rising incidence of growth promoters, a health hazard

The Poisons Centre of the National Hospital (NHSL)
has alerted the health authorities of a disturbing trend where
farmers use growth promoters to destroy pests attacking their crops.
Head of the Toxicology and Poisons Centre at the NHSL Dr. Waruna
Thilakeratne told the Sunday Observer,

Grand finale on October 15

The grand finale of the 36th Sunday Observer/Mobitel
Schoolboy Cricketer of the Year contest will be held on October 15
at the Oak Room of The Cinnamon Grand Hotel from 5.30 pm. The show
of shows brings out the cream of schoolboy cricketers. It has
continued for over three decades and provided the platform for young
aspiring cricketers.